Alvarez to coach Wisconsin in Rose Bowl

Madison, Wis. -- Barry Alvarez will be back on the sideline for Wisconsin, but for just one game.

Alvarez, the current Wisconsin athletic director, will coach the Big Ten champion Badgers in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day against Stanford.

Bret Bielema stunned Alvarez and the school earlier this week when he decided to leave Wisconsin for the vacancy at Arkansas. There was speculation that he might stay to coach the Badgers in their third straight Rose Bowl.

Instead, the winningest coach in the history of Wisconsin football will return for an opportunity to win the "Granddaddy of Them All" for the fourth time.

Alvarez spent 16 seasons as Wisconsin's head coach from 1990-2005, leading the Badgers to the Big Ten title in 1993, 1998 and 1999. Each time, Wisconsin went on to win the Rose Bowl.

Alvarez said senior linebacker Mike Taylor called and asked Alvarez to coach the Badgers in the Rose Bowl.

"I told him I would be honored to coach them," Alvarez said at a news conference Thursday.

He said it would be a "one-time deal." Alvarez said he would "manage" the game but not call plays.

Because of his success in Pasadena, Alvarez was a 2009 inductee into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. He now has the chance to tie Ohio State's Woody Hayes for most Rose Bowl victories by a Big Ten coach.

Alvarez has a record of 118-73-4 at Wisconsin and has been the school's AD for nine years since his retirement.